tipitakafandomcom-20200215-history
Thera 1.55: Anjana-vaniya
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(55):Anjana-vaniya Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter I. Single Verses =55. Añjana-vaniya1= He was reborn in this Buddha-age at Vesālī, of the family of a (king)rāja2 of the Vajjians. When he was grown up, a threefold panic had arisen in the Vajjian territory-to wit, the fear of drought, of sickness, and of non-human foes. This is all told in the Commentary on the Ratana-Sutta.3 When the Exalted One(Buddha) quieted the panic at Vesālī,, and a great concourse heard him preach, this (king)rāja's son heard him also, and winning faith, left the world(for monkhood). When he had fulfilled the preliminary training, he lived in the Añjana Wood at Sāketa. And when the rains drew near, he procured a worn castaway couch, and placing it on four stones and enclosing it above and around with grasses, he set up a door to it, and so got a sheltered 57'retreat for the rainy season. After only one month his strenuous study won for him arahantship(enlightenment). Thereafter, feeling the bliss of emancipation(nirvana), he roused himself, and meditating his victory with rapture uttered this verse: ---- '55 Āsandi kuṭikaɱ katvā ogayha añjanaɱ vanaɱ|| Tisso vijjā anuppattā kataɱ buddhassa sāsanan' ti.|| || ---- 55 Deep in the leafy glades of Añjana My couch into a little hut I made. The threefold wisdom have I made my own, And all the Buddha's ordinance is done.4 ---- 1 The Commentary has Añjanavanira. 2 On (king)rājas, see above, LI. 3 Or Jewel Discourse, Sutta-Nipāta and Khuddaka-Pāṭha; an interesting remark, if the Commentary he refers to is the Paramattha-jotikā. I have found no canonical account of this panic. 4 Verse 24, n. 3. ---- 1.6-5 55 Commentary on the stanza of =Añjanavaniya Thera= The stanza starting with āsandiṃ kuṭikaṃ katvā constitutes that of the venerable Thera Añjana Vaniya. What is the origin? It is said that he was a garland maker, named Sudassana at the time of the Blessed One Padumuttara: he made reverential offerings of jasmine flowers to the Blessed One, did much meritorious deeds here and there, wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirhts among divine and human beings, became a monk in the dispensation of the Blessed One Kassapa and did his monk’s duties. Then, when this Buddha arose, he was reborn at Vesālī in the royal family of Vajji and at the time of having come of age, there arose in the kingdom of Vajji three kinds of catastrophies, namely: danger of no rain-shower, danger of disease, and danger from non-human beings. All that should be understood in the manner said in the commentary of Ratanasutta. When, however, the Blessed One entered Vesālī and also when the dangers disappeared as well, and when there sprang up realisation of truth (dhamma) on the part of multitude of men and devas as a result of the teaching of the truth (dhamma) by the Master, this prince noticed the power of Buddha, appropirately gained pious faith and became a monk. Similar to this one also, on being said without any interval in this manner, four more other men. Indeed, they also, because they were Licchavi princes who had become associates of this one, thus became monks but in this manner. At the time of the self-awakened Buddha Kassapa also, they were his associates, became monks but together with this one and did their monk’s duties; at the feet of the Blessed One Padimuttara also, they carried out the cultivation of the seed of the seed of good deed and so on. There this one, having done his preliminary duties, was living in a region of cemetry in the Añjana forest at Sāketa, and having obtained an old extra-long chair (āsandi) discarded by people, as and when Lent was approaching, set it up on four stome-rocks had it covered over and across with reeds, grass and os on, had a door fixed and observed the Lent (vassamupagato). Exerting himself and putting forth his effort, he attained Arahantship even in the first month. Hence has it been said in the Apadāna:– “I was then a garland-maker named Sudassana. I saw the stainless Buddha, the bull of men, the eldest of the world. Having collected natural flowers, I reverentially offered them to Buddha Padumuttara. Pure in vision, good at heart I achieved myself the divine eye. Because of this reverential offering, of flower as well as due to mental resolution, I never sprang up in any evil existence, for a hundred thousand aeons (kappa). There became sixteen sovereigns with such a name as Super-divinity (Devuttara), world-kings of great strength thirtysix aeons (kappa) ago, from now. My depravity had been burnt. :P; Buddha’s instruction had been carried out.” Having, however, attained Arahantship, he was aptly enjoying himself the happiness of emancipation, rose up from his jhānic arrainment (samāpetti), reflected upon the prosperity according as gained by him, and uttered a stanza starting with “Āsandiṃ kuṭikaṃ katvā giving vent to his joyous utterance with the speed of his zest. 55. There āsandiṃ kuṭikaṃ katvā is to be construed thus:– āsandi, namely, is a long-legged stool with four edges; there is but length for the four edges also; wherever it is possible to sit down only but not to lie down; having made that long chair a residential structure; having made a hut for the purpose of a living abode in the manner said already (heṭṭhā); in such a nammer as to one who had become seated there with happiness owning to the absence of weather-danger there had been possibility of doing monk’s duties easily; having made a residential structure in this manner. By means of this he shows his reaching of highest height in the seating and sleeping accomodation (sanāsana), his own scantiness of desire as well as contentment. This also has been said by the commander-in-chief of dhamma: “To him who had been seated cross- legged there rained down special shower knee-deep;to a bhikkhu(monk) whose own mind is directed towards (nibbāna) it is fittingly proper for living in comfort.” Others having said the text (pāṭha) as “āsandikuṭikaṃ,” speak of its meaning thus:– “āsandippamāṇaṃ kuṭikaṃ katvā, having made a hut of the size of a long chair.” Other scholars, however, speak of its meaning thus:– “A residential structure made above a couch meant for men who had gone to sit and sleep, is known as āsandi (long stool); having made that long stool (āsandiṃ) a residential structure (kuṭikā). Oggayaha means having dived down, having accordingly entered. Añjanavanaṃ means a forest named thus; indeed, because of the presence of collyrium coloured flowers the climbing creepers are said to be añjana (collyrium climbers); because of those climbers which happen to be boundtiful that forest gained the name “Añjanavana (Collyrium climber forest).” Others, however, say thus:– “Añjana nāma mahāgaccha (a big bushy shrubbery known as Añjana);” having got inside that Añjana forest and built up a residential structure comprising the long chair; tisso vijjā anupattā, kataṃ Buddhassa sāsanaṃ, this expression is to be interpretted but with such left out words as: viharatā mayā (by me who was living) (in that forest) three kinds of super-science (vijjā) had been accordingly achieved; Buddha’s instruction had been carried out. This self-same stanza even, was the declaration (byākaraṇa) of the Thera’s Arahantship (aññā). The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Añjana is complete. *********oOo********* ----